


Strangulation

by Alahnore



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-20
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-24 02:19:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/934024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alahnore/pseuds/Alahnore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wasn’t sure what was louder: his scream, or the sound of his best friend’s neck snapping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strangulation

There were chanting, jeering, protesting and shouting all around him. But none of that mattered as he attempted to spearhead through the crowd, shoving men and woman aside almost violently. Noble, citizen, even if they were from the Lower Quarter—if they were in the way he made damn sure they weren’t anymore. Ahead on the makeshift stage he could hear the speech, ringing above the people’s voice thanks to an amplification blastia, and every word fueled the fire that pushed him onwards.

He burst from the front of the crowd, and immediately Royal Knights stepped in front of him to stop his progress. His teeth gritted and his hands balled into fists, ready to leap into action.

“… and so your crimes are thus: for the murder of esteemed Councilman Ragou and the Imperial Knight Captain Alexander Cumore, as well as the abduction of Prince Ioder Argylos Heurassein, the treason between Zaphias and Dahngrest, as well as the support of terrorists and failure to uphold your own sacred duty, you are by the demand of the people of the Empire, to be put to death.” Alexei finished, his eyes focused on his victim. “Your method of execution is to be hung until you are dead.”

“Stop it!” Yuri screamed, pulling Alexei’s eyes to the front of the crowd. “What’re you doing, Alexei?!”

“Yuri Lowell.” Alexei addressed him; his head tipping back a bit so his eyes further looked down on Yuri. “I cannot say I’m surprised to see you.”

“Let Flynn go,” Yuri snarled, stepping forward and causing the Royal Guard to tense again. “He didn’t do any of those damn things!”

“On the contrary there is evidence that he has.” Alexei glanced over his shoulder where Flynn’s slumped body rested, bent over and dressed in just rags. Alexei turned his gaze back to Yuri. “The night Ragou was murdered, Flynn Scifo had been witnessed, by both Councilmen, other knights and members of the Union, to have had a violent outburst upon hearing that Ragou’s charges were lessened. He was also absent from his tent that night.”

_Bullshit, I saw him!_

“His appearance in Mantaic just mere hours after Cumore was last seen was of no coincidence. There was little evidence of a struggle within Cumore’s occupying room, suggesting either Flynn easily overpowered—which is possible, as Flynn is known as a superior swordsmen—or he used trickery to lure Cumore into the desert to be killed, his body disposed of.”

“Are you listening to the shit coming out of your mouth?” Yuri yelled. “None of that means anything, let alone Flynn killing someone!”

“It was also Flynn’s duty to watch and keep Master Ioder safe. Ironically it was only after Flynn took over this duty did the Prince suffer a kidnapping… and Flynn suddenly decided a pilgrimage was in order? When before he had even once told myself he would not embark on such a journey until next year?” Alexei frowned. “If Ragou were at fault, which I know you are about to say, why would Master Ioder pardon him? Ragou’s power as a Councilman does not rival that of Master Ioder’s royal lineage. Despite his involvement with Barbos, that did not warrant a brutal and cold-blooded murder.”

“Is that what all this hinges on?” Yuri asked, slowly relaxing. “Those bastards dying? Because if so you can let Flynn go now. He didn’t kill them.”

“And who did, Yuri Lowell, if you are so adamant to say it was not him?”

“I did.” Yuri even threw his sword to the feet of the Royal Guard before him. “I saw Ragou on the bridge with two others. I killed all three. I chased Cumore out of his inn room and backed him into a quicksand pit. Ragou kidnapped Ioder and Flynn went on the pilgrimage to find him. I destroyed Ragou’s manor in Capua Nor, I protected Belius, I broke the damn blockade—I did all of it!”

Alexei actually put his hand to his chin, looking thoughtful. “A confession of murder, treason, terrorism and vandalism… and you swear you did these things?”

“I’ll do it again if I have to.” Yuri threatened, his voice low, but even then Alexei heard him.

The Commandant lowered his hand and sighed, shaking his head. “I see. It is a shame, Yuri Lowell. I heard you once sought entry into the knights, that you quit before you could be set into a formal brigade… I can see the makings of one within you, but that selflessness is excessive.”

“The hell are you babbling about?”

Alexei nodded to the knight nearest him, and the man moved behind him. “I know you and Flynn Scifo were good friends. Best friends, yes? I sympathize with you, Yuri… you do not want to think of your friend to be a criminal. You do not want to see him pay for his crimes in such a way. But attempting to take his sins onto your own shoulders does nothing. All I can offer to you are apologies for what you will witness.”

Yuri’s eyes darted to Flynn’s limp body being positioned, the rope going around his neck. “No!” He surged forward, slamming into the knights that tried to hold him back. “Flynn! Flynn, get up! I did it, damn you all, _I_ killed them! _It was me_!”

Yuri was thrown back into the crowd, causing it to scatter and people to shriek. Yuri landed hard on his back, grunting and sitting up. He could hear the others trying to get through the crowd; he wasn’t sure how far away they were. But in that moment it didn’t matter.

Alexei kicked the level near him, and the floorboard under Flynn’s unconscious form gave out. Yuri’s eyes widened, and the entire world went black save for the slow motion of Flynn falling through that hole in the hollow stage. He wasn’t sure what was louder: his scream, or the sound of his best friend’s neck snapping.

For one terrifying second Flynn’s eyes flew open, and through the space of the knights in front of him those eyes met Yuri’s. There was pain, fear, confusion in those eyes. And then they started to roll back.

“ _Flynn_!!”


End file.
